Now I'm really worried...and I thought public education was bad before (even though I insist on sending my children there to meet others unlike themselves.)

Does the First Amendment go 'too far'?. The First Amendment grants too many freedoms, according to more than a third of US high school children. This is the disturbing conclusion of a new report by the Knight Foundation. [kuro5hin.org]

7:31:25 PM    

A Nation founded on Christian Ideals?. "The United States of America have exhibited, perhaps, the first example of governments erected on the simple principles of nature; and if men are now sufficiently enlightened to disabuse themselves of artifice, imposture, hypocrisy, and superstition, they will consider this event as an era in their history. Although the detail of the formation of the American governments is at present little known or regarded either in Europe or in America, it may hereafter become an object of curiosity. It will never be pretended that any persons employed in that service had interviews with the gods, or were in any degree under the influence of Heaven, more than those at work upon ships or houses, or laboring in merchandise or agriculture; it will forever be acknowledged that these governments were contrived merely by the use of reason and the senses." - John Adams

"I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life I absented myself from Christian assemblies." - Benjamin Franklin

"Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man" - Thomas Jefferson

"During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution." - James Madison

"Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon that the Word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and for my own part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel." - Thomas Paine

"We have abundant reason to rejoice that in this Land the light of truth and reason has triumphed over the power of bigotry and superstition ... In this enlightened Age and in this Land of equal liberty it is our boast, that a man's religious tenets will not forfeit the protection of the Laws, nor deprive him of the right of attaining and holding the highest Offices that are known in the United States." - George Washington
[What Do YOU Think? Comment on this Post!] [Testify!] [Father Dan]

5:49:46 PM    

How Scientists and Victims Watched Helplessly. The magnitude of the tsunami that remade the coasts of the Asian subcontinent was slowly gauged across the world. By By ANDREW C. REVKIN. [NYT > Technology]

5:55:29 AM    

Great feature in the New York Times this morning about Slab City, a lawless, rentless, taxless community of 3,000 who bring their RVs and trailers to an abandoned military base in the Mojave Desert:

Slab City is not so sinister as it is a strange, forlorn quarter of America. It is a town that is not really a town, a former training grounds with nothing left but the concrete slabs where the barracks stood. Gen. George S. Patton trained troops here. Pilots of the Enola Gay practiced their atomic mission, dropping dummy bombs into the sea.

The land belongs to the state, but the state, like the law, does not bother, and so the Slabs have become a place to park free. More than 3,000 elderly people settle in for the winter, in a pattern that dates back at least 20 years.

A site has been created to work on Slab City's trash problem:

Some residents of Slab City talk bad about this website, and our growing group of trash haters. Take a good look at the photo on the right, and keep in mind that the same people who stuff trash into any empty bus, are the same ones who are against our efforts to clean up the area.

[Workbench]

6:08:03 PM    

Bush Follows Historical Advice Regarding War Policy?. Sound Familiar?

"Why, of course the people don't want war... but, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament or a communist dictatorship... voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger."

Any guesses as to who said it?

No, it wasn't Bush or anyone in his party.

It was Hermann Goering, Nazi Commander, April 18, 1946 (Nuremberg) [What Do YOU Think? Comment on this Post!] [Testify!] [Father Dan]

9:48:53 PM    

Holiday Advice From My Father. 1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it.

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Finally, Remember this motto to live by: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!" [What Do YOU Think? Comment on this Post!] [Testify!] [Father Dan]

9:48:20 PM    

Are We Puppets or Free Agents?. Interpretations of the insanity plea have changed through the ages, but advances in neuroscience promise to redefine free will and personal responsibility, and change the way we think about punishment. By Rowan Hooper. [Wired News]

9:02:17 PM    

Yep. Our national bout with post-traumatic stress syndrome (after 9/11) is having some very bad effects. What kind of cogitive therapy can we apply to ourselves en masse?

Is America Slipping Into Facism? You Decide.. I was wanting to read up on this and lo and behold - what shows up in my inbox? (Thanks Laura). I'm not going to add my editorial to this post - you read and see if you notice anything familiar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
In an essay coyly titled "Fascism Anyone?," Dr. Lawrence Britt, a political scientist, identifies social and political agendas common to fascist regimes. His comparisons of Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, Suharto, and Pinochet yielded this list of 14 "identifying characteristics of fascism." See how familiar they sound:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism

Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights

Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other wayor even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause

The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military

Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism

The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.

6. Controlled Mass Media

Sometimes the media are directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media are indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in wartime, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security

Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined

Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected

The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed

Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts

Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment

Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption

Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections

Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

[What Do YOU Think? Comment on this Post!] [Testify!] [Father Dan]

5:52:24 PM    

Current Editorials: What the Hell is Wrong with Us?. More thoughts on the death of centrism in the US and the complete lack of representation for centrists... There is no political party in this country representing my interests, my values or my culture. Sure, I'm a card-carrying member of the Libertarian Party, but that's only because I disagree with them the least not because I actually agree with... [morons.org headlines]

7:24:19 PM    

Amen...

Porn Prohibitionists Miss Point. If we're going to start worrying about porn, doesn't it make sense to actually study its role in society rather than make stuff up? Commentary by Regina Lynn. [Wired News]

7:23:55 PM    

On a stupid scale from 1 to 10, these hearings must be a hundred or so...where on earth did they get these "experts" - and what matchbook cover did they fill out to get their degrees?

Reader-Submitted: Are You an Internet Porn Addict? Congress to Your Rescue!. So you thought watching nekkid people on the Internet is merely wasting your time. Not according to recent Congressional Testimony. According to this Wired Magazine article, Congress is taking action to an activity that is more addictive than crack and leads to misogyny, pedophilia, boob jobs, and erectile dysfunction. (NOTE: Boob jobs and erectile disfunction won't occur in... [morons.org headlines]

12:59:18 PM    

Several good points, particularly about Giuliani - isn't he the one who really led us after 9/11?...

At the dinner in Vancouver I was one of only two or three Americans, the rest were Canadians. Of course they wanted to talk about the political situation in the US. What's to become of the Democratic party? This is much-discussed in the US too. Why worry? The diversity in the country won't go away just because the Democrats can't nominate a winner. Even within the Republican Party there's choice. Democrats could vote for Schwarzenegger or Giuliani (who is a citizen). Are either of these really any less repulsive than Kerry? Think about it. I'm now where I was before Kerry was the Democratic nominee. I think we do it backwards in the US. First we should decide what our issues are, then we should go shopping for representatives to represent us. See the connection? Represent. We end up voting for minor, almost irrelevant differences, and as a result, no representation, and our country can't make positive change. I don't believe the red-staters are bad or stupid. I think they're stuck in the same mess the rest of us are. [Scripting News]

12:56:55 PM    

The FCC Censorship Machine.

Jeff Jarvis: Censorship by the tyranny of the few. With not much original reporting, I discovered that the latest big fine by the FCC against a TV network -- a record $1.2 million against Fox for its "sexually suggestive" Married by America -- was brought about by a mere three people who actually composed letters of complaint. Yes, just three people.

The First Amendment is under attack, and I can't understand why the "conservatives" are so happy to see it happen. They've rightly complained about some of the left's overzealous "speech codes" at universities, but can't see why this is a much, much bigger threat -- ultimately to their own speech. I just got back to Hong Kong from Shanghai, where I met some young bloggers who have been cowed by odious government speech restrictions; they don't dare talk politics in a medium that is made to order for debating the issues of our times. America isn't China, but what's going on with broadcast censorship is an awful trend. [Dan Gillmor's eJournal]

7:42:53 PM    

Just finished a business class today in which a very smart professor lamented that in 18 months, Google will have been over-run by Microsoft. Can we prevent this?...

Google Scholar.

This should be useful - Google Scholar: " Google Scholar enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research. Use Google Scholar to find articles from a wide variety of academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories and universities, as well as scholarly articles available across the web."

[elearnspace]

7:37:30 PM    

Beautiful...

India thorough the lens. A beautiful gallery of pictures from India - - INDIA 2004 - another try - Photo Gallery by Maciek Da… at pbase.com. Check it out - these are not the usual dirt-grime-and-beggars pictures of India. There are beautiful women, children and life in general. Very moving!... [Dancing with Dogs]

6:03:32 PM    

I'm trying to be hopeful (Bush got rid of Ashcroft, after all), but I hear this pain...

The Concession Speech We Would Like To Have Heard. Now that the Election-night emotions have toned down a little bit, lets read the speech Kerry should have given:

My fellow Americans, the people of this nation have spoken, and spoken with a clear voice. So I am here to offer my concession

I concede that I overestimated the intelligence of the American people.

Though the people disagree with the President on almost every issue, you saw fit to vote for him. I never saw that coming. That's really special. And I mean "special" in the sense that we use it to describe those kids who ride the short school bus and find ways to injure themselves while eating pudding with rubber spoons. That kind of special.

I concede that I misjudged the power of hate. That's pretty powerful stuff, and I didn't see it. So let me take a moment to congratulate the President's strategists: Putting the gay marriage amendments on the ballot in various swing states like Ohio... well, that was just genius.

Genius. It got people, a certain kind of people, to the polls. The unprecedented number of folks who showed up and cited "moral values" as their biggest issue, those people changed history. The folks who consider same sex marriage a more important issue than war, or terrorism, or the economy... Who'd have thought the election would belong to them? Well, Karl Rove did. Gotta give it up to him for that.

I concede that I put too much faith in America's youth. With 8 out of 10 of you opposing the President, with your friends and classmates dying daily in a war you disapprove of, with your future being mortgaged to pay for rich old peoples' tax breaks, you somehow managed to sit on your asses and watch the Cartoon Network while aging homophobic hillbillies carried the day. You voted with the exact same anemic percentage that you did in 2000. You suck. Seriously, y'do.

There are some who would say that I sound bitter, that now is the time for healing, to bring the nation together. Let me tell you a little story. Last night, I watched the returns come in with some friends here in Los Angeles. As the night progressed, people began to talk half-seriously about secession, a red state / blue state split. The reasoning was this: We in blue states produce the vast majority of the wealth in this country and pay the most taxes, and you in the red states receive the majority of the money from those taxes while complaining about 'em. We in the blue states are the only ones who've been attacked by foreign terrorists, yet you in the red states are gung ho to fight a war in our name. We in the blue states produce the entertainment that you consume so greedily each day, while you in the red states show open disdain for us and our values. Blue state civilians are the actual victims and targets of the war on terror, while red state civilians are the ones standing behind us and yelling "Oh, yeah!? Bring it on!"

More than 40% of you Bush voters still believe that Saddam Hussein had something to do with 9/11. I'm impressed by that, truly I am. Your sons and daughters who might die in this war know it's not true, the people in the urban centers where al Qaeda wants to attack know it's not true, but those of you who are at practically no risk believe this easy lie because you can. As part of my concession speech, let me say that I really envy that luxury. I concede that.

Healing? We, the people at risk from terrorists, the people who subsidize you, the people who speak in glowing and respectful terms about the heartland of America while that heartland insults and excoriates us... we wanted some healing. We spoke loud and clear. And you refused to give it to us, largely because of your high moral values.

You knew better: America doesn't need its allies, doesn't need to share the burden, doesn't need to unite the world, doesn't need to provide for its future. Hell no. Not when it's got a human shield of pointy-headed, atheistic, unconfrontational breadwinners who are willing to pay the bills and play nice in the vain hope of winning a vote that we can never have. Because we're "morally inferior," I suppose, we are supposed to respect your values while you insult ours. And the big joke here is that for 20 years, we've done just that. It's not a "ha-ha" funny joke, I realize, but it's a joke all the same. Being an independent candidate gives me one luxury - as well as conceding the election today, I am also announcing my candidacy for President in 2008.

And I make this pledge to you today: THIS time, next time, there will be no pandering. This time I will run with all the open and joking contempt for my opponents that our President demonstrated towards the cradle of liberty, the Ivy League intellectuals, the "media elite," and the "white-wine sippers." This time I will not pretend that the simple folk of America know just as much as the people who devote their lives to serving and studying the nation and the world. They don't.

So that's why I'm asking for your vote in 2008, America. I'm talking to you, you ignorant, slack-jawed yokels, inbred drones, you redneck, racist, grade-school grads. Vote for me, because I know better, and I truly believe that I can help your smug, sorry asses. Vote for me in '08! Thank you. [What Do YOU Think? Comment on this Post!] [Testify!] [Father Dan]

6:34:59 PM    

Scott Rosenberg: "At what point will our leaders get their heads around the simple fact that our enemies here have no back to break?" [Scripting News]

6:32:48 PM    

Okay, here's what we did right...

• Mom bought nursing home insurance. No telling how good it will be, but at least it's there.
• Mom picked out the assisted living facility she wanted to go to before she needed it.
• Both Mom and Dad saved for many years.
• Both Mom and Dad worked at paying jobs for many years, so they both have a pension and social security income now. It's higher than most. The good elder care facilities talk to us. If Mom had stayed home, they'd only have half as much. (They actually need about 4 times as much, but this is better than it might have been.) All five of us (kids) are fine, by the way...nobody lost out because Mom got paid.

Here's what we did wrong:

• We didn't get the nursing home insurance earlier. Dad had a stroke in his late 50's. No one will insure him now.
• We didn't pick an assisted living facility with gradually increasing care levels. They're about to be thrown out of "assisted living" at $3400/month to a full-blown nursing home at a cost of $15,000/month. Neither of them need that yet, but we may have to pay it, and then watch the government run their lives after their savings run out. Intermediate care facilities and full service end of life facilities exist. Find them. Get on their waiting lists. (The best one I found has a 2-year wait.)
• We didn't protect their money by putting it in a trust. You want an elder care lawyer for this, not a run of the mill lawyer, and go to one who doesn't take a percentage of their total assets.

7:38:20 PM    

I like this guy...

17 Reasons Not to Slit Your Wrists...by Michael Moore. Dear Friends,

Ok, it sucks. Really sucks. But before you go and cash it all in, let's, in
the words of Monty Python, “always look on the bright side of life!” There
IS some good news from Tuesday's election.

Here are 17 reasons not to slit your wrists:

1. It is against the law for George W. Bush to run for president again.

2. Bush's victory was the NARROWEST win for a sitting president since
Woodrow Wilson in 1916.

3. The only age group in which the majority voted for Kerry was young adults
(Kerry: 54%, Bush: 44%), proving once again that your parents are always
wrong and you should never listen to them.

4. In spite of Bush's win, the majority of Americans still think the
country is headed in the wrong direction (56%), think the war wasn't worth fighting
(51%), and don’t approve of the job George W. Bush is doing (52%). (Note to foreigners: Don't try to figure this one out.
It's an American thing, like Pop Tarts.)

5. The Republicans will not have a filibuster-proof 60-seat majority in the
Senate. If the Democrats do their job, Bush won't be able to pack the
Supreme Court with right-wing ideologues. Did I say "if the Democrats do
their job?" Um, maybe better to scratch this one.

6. Michigan voted for Kerry! So did the entire Northeast, the birthplace of
our democracy. So did 6 of the 8 Great Lakes States. And the whole West
Coast! Plus Hawaii. Ok, that's a start. We've got most of the fresh water,
all of Broadway, and Mt. St. Helens. We can dehydrate them or bury them in
lava. And no more show tunes!

7. Once again we are reminded that the buckeye is a nut, and not just any
old nut -- a poisonous nut. A great nation was felled by a poisonous nut.
May Ohio State pay dearly this Saturday when it faces Michigan.

8. 88% of Bush's support came from white voters. In 50 years, America will
no longer have a white majority. Hey, 50 years isn't such a long time! If
you're ten years old and reading this, your golden years will be truly
golden and you will be well cared for in your old age.

9. Gays, thanks to the ballot measures passed on Tuesday, cannot get married
in 11 new states. Thank God. Just think of all those wedding gifts we won't
have to buy now.

10. Five more African Americans were elected as members of Congress,
including the return of Cynthia McKinney of Georgia. It's always good to
have more blacks in there fighting for us and doing the job our candidates
can't.
11. The CEO of Coors was defeated for Senate in Colorado. Drink up!

12. Admit it: We like the Bush twins and we don't want them to go away.

13. At the state legislative level, Democrats picked up a net of at least 3
chambers in Tuesday's elections. Of the 98 partisan-controlled state
legislative chambers (house/assembly and senate), Democrats went into the
2004 elections in control of 44 chambers, Republicans controlled 53
chambers, and 1 chamber was tied. After Tuesday, Democrats now control 47
chambers, Republicans control 49 chambers, 1 chamber is tied and 1 chamber
(Montana House) is still undecided.

14. Bush is now a lame duck president. He will have no greater moment than
the one he's having this week. It's all downhill for him from here on out --
and, more significantly, he's just not going to want to do all the hard work
that will be expected of him. It'll be like everyone's last month in 12th
grade -- you've already made it, so it's party time! Perhaps he'll treat the
next four years like a permanent Friday, spending even more time at the
ranch or in Kennebunkport. And why shouldn't he? He's already proved his
point, avenged his father and kicked our ass.

15. Should Bush decide to show up to work and take this country down a very
dark road, it is also just as likely that either of the following two
scenarios will happen: a) Now that he doesn't ever need to pander to the
Christian conservatives again to get elected, someone may whisper in his ear
that he should spend these last four years building "a legacy" so that
history will render a kinder verdict on him and thus he will not push for
too aggressive a right-wing agenda; or b) He will become so cocky and
arrogant -- and thus, reckless -- that he will commit a blunder of such
major proportions that even his own party will have to remove him from
office.

16. There are nearly 300 million Americans -- 200 million of them of voting
age. We only lost by three and a half million! That's not a landslide -- it
means we're almost there. Imagine losing by 20 million. If you had 58 yards
to go before you reached the goal line and then you barreled down 55 of
those yards, would you stop on the three yard line, pick up the ball and go
home crying -- especially when you get to start the next down on the three
yard line? Of course not! Buck up! Have hope! More sports analogies are
coming!!!

17. Finally and most importantly, over 55 million Americans voted for the
candidate dubbed "The #1 Liberal in the Senate." That's more than the total
number of voters who voted for either Reagan, Bush I, Clinton or Gore.
Again, more people voted for Kerry than Reagan. If the media are looking for
a trend it should be this -- that so many Americans were, for the first time
since Kennedy, willing to vote for an out-and-out liberal. The country has
always been filled with evangelicals -- that is not news. What IS news is
that so many people have shifted toward a Massachusetts liberal. In fact,
that's BIG news. Which means, don't expect the mainstream media, the ones
who brought you the Iraq War, to ever report the real truth about November
2, 2004. In fact, it's better that they don't. We'll need the element of
surprise in 2008.
Feeling better? I hope so. As my friend Mort wrote me yesterday, "My
Romanian grandfather used to say to me, 'Remember, Morton, this is such a
wonderful country -- it doesn't even need a president!'"

But it needs us. Rest up, I'll write you again tomorrow.

Yours,

Michael Moore

MMFlint@aol.com

www.michaelmoore.com

[What Do YOU Think? Comment on this Post!] [Testify!] [Father Dan]

7:20:20 PM    

Father Dan is extremely irritated...can't blame him.

Notice to Americans - Indepence Officially Revoked. Subject: NOTICE OF REVOCATION OF INDEPENDENCE TO CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

In light of your failure to make the correct decision in electing your President, thus showing you to be unfit to govern yourselves, we hereby give you notice of the revocation of your independence effective as of

Wednesday 10th November 2004.

Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she doesn't much fancy, and is frankly a bit dodgy.

Your new Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair M.P. (for the 97.85% of you unaware of the outside world), will appoint a Minister for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire will be circulated in twelve months time to determine if any of you noticed.

To aid your transition into a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. All citizens are to look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. While there, check the pronunciation guide for "aluminium" - this may be surprising for you. Generally attempt to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up "vocabulary". Using the same 27 words interspersed with "like" and "you know" is an unacceptable form of communication. NB. Look up "interspersed".

2. There is no such thing as "U.S. English". We will let Microsoft know on your behalf.

3. Learn to distinguish between British and Australian accents. It's not difficult.

4. Hollywood will henceforth be required to occasionally cast Englishmen as good guys.

5. Re-learn your original anthem, "God Save the Queen". Please ensure that you have complied with the first law before attempting this.

6. Stop playing American "football". There is only one kind of "football". What you refer to as "football" is not a very good game. The 2.15% of you aware of a world outside of your borders may have noticed that no one else plays it. Play proper football instead; to start with get the girls to help you - it is a difficult game. Those of you brave enough will, eventually, be allowed to play rugby, which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full Kevlar body armour.

7. 4th July is no longer a public holiday. 2nd November will be the new national holiday.

8. American cars are hereby banned. They are crap; it s for your own good. When we show you German and Japanese cars you'll understand.

9. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.

[What Do YOU Think? Comment on this Post!] [Testify!] [Father Dan]

7:18:53 PM    

Message From Osama To King George. (From a Canadian Friend)

After many rounds of, "We don't even know if Osama is still alive," Osama himself sent George W. a letter in his own handwriting to let him
know he was still in the game.

Bush opened the letter and it appeared to be a coded message:

370HSSV-0773H

Bush was baffled, so he emailed it to Colin Powell. Colin and his aides had no clue either so they sent it to the CIA. No one could solve it. It went to the NSA and then to MIT and NASA and the Secret Service.

Eventually they asked Canada's RCMP for help. The RCMP cabled the White House: "Tell the President he is looking at the message upside down."

[What Do YOU Think? Comment on this Post!] [Testify!] [Father Dan]

7:17:37 PM    

World's best short analysis of Kerry versus Bush (from Sweden).

It's usually said that we Swedes get exactly the sort of government that we deserve. When it comes to the presidential election in the US, one could easily say that the world gets exactly the kind of President that the Americans deserve.

Roland Zuiderveld, Swedish Cultural Television

On the brighter side, as Roland continues, "To all European Kerry supporters the result may be disheartening,  but never the less, the outcome is a victory for democracy."

(Det brukar sägas att vi svenskar får precis den regering vi förtjänar. När det gäller presidentvalet i USA kan man säga att världen får precis den president som amerikanerna förtjänar. För alla europeiska Kerryanhängare kan det verka nog så provocerande, men årets val är trots allt en seger för demokratin.)


[Betsy Devine: Funny Ha-Ha or Funny Peculiar?]

7:17:04 PM    

Although I think the business about leaving the country is overstated, the part about the US being a laboratory for belief systems is well put and deserves to be repeated widely...

The Failure of the American Experiment. A lot of Bush haters are United States citizens. Many feel they must now leave their country and renounce their citizenship, and feel trapped that they can't. Many Bush supporters are taking glee in encouraging them to do so, knowing full well many have no options for emigration. The problem is both "liberals" and "conservatives" have forgotten the United States is about much more than "democracy". It is about a laboratory of the States within which migration and eminent domain support the pursuit of happiness by providing a mutual defense system for peoples experimenting with their own widely varying belief systems. [kuro5hin.org]

6:12:41 AM